


Petrified

by Yatorihell



Series: In The Darkness [20]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, ノラガミ | Noragami
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 08:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12453336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yatorihell/pseuds/Yatorihell
Summary: The trio start to drift apart and, when they try take matters into their own hands, tragedy strikes.Thank you Kayla (Pahndah) for beta-ing me <3Happy birthday Gio (the_musical_alchemist)!!





	Petrified

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_musical_alchemist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_musical_alchemist/gifts).



Months passed and the elusive creature claimed new victims; upperclassmen that neither Yato, Yukine, nor Hiyori knew. Thought to be muggleborns or half-bloods, Yato’s hunch grew more and more desperate as he looked for any clue of what it was or how to stop it, even if the teachers were already doing so themselves.

Until the draught of a mandrake root could be produced – a process that would take months – those affected, including Suzuha, lay like statues in a private wing of the Hospital Tower.

Yukine, unable to escape the memory of Suzuha’s fate as it bled into his nightmares, became more withdrawn even when Hiyori insisted that he talk to her about it, or even when Yato asked him what bothered him so much in the rare private moments they had. He would drop his eyes and shake his head, lips sealed and escaping at any opportunity if it meant he would be alone.

Even though he stayed tucked away, Hiyori had asked Yama to keep an eye on him, as being a fellow housemate, she could get into the dorms and report back.

She found that his nightmares had become a nightly occurrence. The boys who shared a dorm room with him tried to comfort him when he lashed out and screamed at whatever plagued him.

Perhaps that was why his appearances to classes became less frequent – probably to catch up on sleep in the daytime – and why he all but vanished for the entire Easter break despite Yato and Hiyori staying to keep him company.

Helpless to do anything about it, Yato threw himself back into finding out about the Chamber of Secrets, something Hiyori now listened to, as it was part of the reason Yukine was so withdrawn. If they could find the Chamber and close it, then maybe that would save the school.

Dedicating their holiday to research in the library rather than homework, both of them poured over books of magical creatures and long forgotten books on the origin of Hogwarts, hoping they would find some sort of helpful information.

The final night of break was also spent in the library, though their time combing through the shelves for information on the Chamber was probably wasted. Only when they started to eye the restricted section were they ushered out by the librarian, any hopes of sneaking in any time soon dashed unless Yato were to go alone to look.

Yato walked with Hiyori to the Gryffindor Tower, the rule about walking alone drilled into their heads - even though Yato told himself he would be ok if he was a Parselmouth. At the base of the stairs they parted, Hiyori raising her hand in farewell before disappearing up the stairs. Yato waited until he heard the clack of frame hitting the wall, signally she was in the tower safely and that he could leave.

Tomorrow, Yato would go to the restricted section; but for now, he needed to sleep.

 

~

 

Dawn broke in the castle, dreary students awakening to a new tragedy as whispers spread through the castle hallways.

Yama, having wanted to find out what was happening without asking, found her answers in Aimi when she nearly crashed into her at a sprint as Yama entered the Great Hall, eyes wet and hands gripping at her shoulders.

Aimi’s voice was barely above a cracked whisper, but it was audible enough to make the blood drain from Yama’s face.

“What?”

 

~

 

There was an uneasiness in the castle which Yato ignored, as it seemed to follow whereever he went; but today was a bit different. Normally he would get cautious looks that faded over time, but now people avoided him completely as if there was an invisible shield between him and everyone else.

Yukine, having appeared from thin air after weeks of absence, sat at the Hufflepuff table with a vacant stare. He didn’t answer when Yato asked how he was, nor when he asked if he’d seen Hiyori around.

Yato sighed. There was no point getting angry at him, not when he was like this. Instead he looked around to the Gryffindor table, hoping Hiyori would’ve come down for breakfast, even though it was unusual for her to be so late. He caught sight of Bishamon looking in his direction before she turned her head, bowing it in an uncharacteristically reserved way.

“Oi,” Yato called out, heading over to her table as he spoke, “have you seen Hiyori?”

She looked at him when he reached her side, expression startled before creasing into one of realisation that he hadn’t heard just what had happened that night. She looked around at fellow Gryffindors who watched Yato apprehensively before she stood up and steered him out of the Great Hall by the elbow.

“Come with me,” was the only thing she said when Yato asked once more, reluctantly letting her lead him through the castle.

He knew why as soon as she began leading him up the tower of the Hospital Wing. He ignored the drop in the pit of his stomach, telling himself that Hiyori had just crashed her broom again, though he knew there were no Quidditch fixtures for Gryffindor to be playing anytime soon. He told himself she had just had a mishap that had turned her into a cat, but as soon as he saw the drawn curtains around one of the beds beside Suzuha’s, he couldn’t fool himself any more.

Dropping Yato’s elbow, Bishamon’s steps quieted as she left him in the middle of the room to gently pull back part of the curtain that shielded the bed’s occupant. She nodded her head at the opening when Yato stared at her with a stupefied expression before he cautiously made his way to her side. He glanced at her morose demeanour, then to the curtain, tentatively pulling it wider so he could see inside.

The first thing he noticed was a hand outstretched towards the ceiling, bent as if she was reaching out for something. The next thing he noticed was the red and gold lining on the neck of her jumper, an askew tie matching the Gryffindor colours. The last thing he noticed – or rather, recognised – was the face of the girl laying in the bed.

“Hiyori?”

He half expected an answer, the alert expression on her face merely a ruse. He stepped forward again, her name on his lips once more before he remembered that just like Suzuha – who also fell victim to the monster – she could not hear him.

“Kiun found her outside the library last night,” Bishamon said lightly. She let the curtain fall behind him when Yato stayed silent, sensing that he needed to be alone for a moment.

When her footsteps vanished from the room, Yato sank into the chair at Hiyori’s bedside. She was so still that it was hard to believe she was alive at all, skin pale and dull, yet wide eyes, staring at the ceiling. He didn’t expect her to be so rigid; right hand half raised as if reaching out, whilst the over was buried under the covers.

_Why would she be at the library out of hours?_

He recalled how they both exchanged looks when they passed the restricted section. She probably didn’t want to get him into trouble with her should she get caught. It wouldn’t be hard to get into the library, she’d seen it done before, but the threat of a Basilisk is enough to deter anyone from stepping outside at night. Clearly not Hiyori, if she thought the risk was worth it - even if it hadn’t paid off.

_But what happened to Hiyori?_

No answer would come to him.

He turned his face away to the low table next to him which held a vase of flowers – presumably from Bishamon – and an ornate hand mirror which he picked up and examined listlessly before placing it down again. The voices of the matron and who seemed to be Professor Tenjin permeated the room, not realising that one of the room’s occupants could hear every word they were saying.

The graveness was evident in Professor Tenjin’s voice as he spoke about the circumstances and students’ safety - something that should’ve been thought about before it escalated this far.

Yato had no doubt that his forehead creased into a painful frown when his voice dropped to an unintelligible murmur, but he already knew what he was saying. It was only a matter of time before the Basilisk killed, Hogwarts would be declared unsafe, and the students were sent home – perhaps forever. Even if Hogwarts was their home.

Yato cast a final glance at Hiyori.

He had to do something.

 

~

 

“Are you seriously trying to tell me that you are not the Heir of Slytherin?!” Yukine spat.

Yato’s plea for Yukine’s assistance was falling on deaf ears no matter how much he protested the rumour, which was now widely believed to be true. Two of the victims were close to Yato, so they were easy targets, and Yukine was determined to keep as far away from him as he could during the day.

Yato, however, had managed to catch him on the staircase to the dungeons at curfew. Though this corridor was more well-lit in the Hufflepuff entrance compared to the shadowy hall to Slytherin’s dorm, both dorms were conveniently stacked on top of each other, letting Yato wait for Yukine to return from dinner. Now here he was, getting chewed out.

“You said you’re going to sort this, now Hiyori is as good as dead!” Yukine tried to shove past Yato to the barrels which hid Hufflepuff’s doorway, but he was pushed back.

“She’s not dead!” Yato exclaimed. She should be, but she wasn’t, and that was enough for him.

Yukine’s face contorted into one of disgust. “How do you know? Because you’re the Heir?”

Yato stared at Yukine, disbelieving that he would actually think that, but that wasn’t all he believed.

Yukine didn’t bother to hide the jealous tone creeping into his voice. “You decided not to kill her because you want her all to yourself?”

“What the hell are you on about?! You’re the one who likes her!” Yato shot back.

“I never said that!” Yukine seethed. His posture was straightened from its usual slouched position, chin tilted to look Yato in the eye. “Maybe you don’t like her after all. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”

It felt like a blow had hit Yato. He cared more about Yukine, and about Hiyori, than anyone in the whole damn school. They were – no, they _are_ – his friends, and he wasn’t about to give up on either of them.

“Whatever the hell is happening, we need to do something about it,” Yato said quietly.

Yukine rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping from his sharp words like venom. “By walking straight to my death? What a good idea, let’s go.”

That was as good an answer as Yato was going to get. Even if he knew Yukine didn’t mean it, he was going to take advantage of it.

“We’ll need my invisibility cloak if we’re going to avoid the teachers,” Yato gripped Yukine’s wrist and started to tug him down the stairs which went deeper below the castle.

He ignored the protests and profanities Yukine threw at him, his fingernails trying to pry Yato off as he had no choice but to be dragged down the stairs. Their feet splashed through the puddles that the damp walls had created, the cold of the Great Lake above their heads forming water droplets which dripped onto them when they reached the dark corridor outside of Slytherin’s common room, masses of shadows cast against the walls like phantoms.

Only when Yato let go of him did Yukine start stumbling backwards, head snapping in all directions as if fearing that he would be attacked at any moment. Yato squinted at him through the darkness when he turned his attention away from the door, noticing that Yukine was getting farther away.

“Yukine?”

He didn’t answer. He stared at the walls, the shadows, and unending blackness that surrounded him before his eyes snapped back to Yato’s shadowed face blending in with the surroundings. Not even the light that shone from torches could calm him.

“Yukine?” Yato repeated. He took a few steps forward but Yukine rigorously shook his head, hands searching for the exit behind him and feet shuffling backwards until he found the first step.

Without a word, he bolted.

**Author's Note:**

> :3c  
> Next chapter is the Finale!


End file.
